Decorative display cover

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a decorative display cover. The display cover is made of a ring of fabric having a first stretchable element integrated at an inner edge and a second stretchable element integrated at an outer edge, the ring being wide enough to cover at least part of the front and back of a bezel of a flat panel display. In one aspect, the ring contains a hole placed to allow a webcam integrated into the display to see through the ring of fabric. In another aspect, ornaments can be attached to the ring, such as ornaments that emit light or produce sound. The ring can contain a slit to allow computer-readable media to enter and exit a media reader integrated into the display. A portion of the ring of fabric can be partially translucent. The front and rear sides of the ring can be of different types of fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to computer and other displays and more specifically to decorative covers therefor.

2. Introduction

Computer monitors and other displays are increasingly common in every day life. As little as two decades ago, the average person could go weeks without using a computer, if indeed a computer was necessary at all. Today, however, computers are an integral part of most people's lives. Often, individuals spend a significant portion of their work or school day operating a computer and looking at a computer screen. Most computer monitors are not very aesthetically appealing. Although styles and trends change from year to year, the same basic color schemes come and go, black, white, silver, gray, beige, etc. Current computer monitors do not offer users sufficient stylish customization or personalization options, if they are offered at all. This same problem applies to other increasingly pervasive displays, such as digital photo frames and flat panel televisions. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved way to personalize computer and other displays.

SUMMARY

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth herein.

Disclosed herein is a decorative display cover. The display cover is made of a ring of fabric having a first stretchable element integrated at an inner edge and a second stretchable element integrated at an outer edge, the ring being wide enough to cover at least part of the front and back of a bezel of a flat panel display. In one aspect, the ring contains a hole placed to allow a webcam integrated into the display to see through the ring of fabric. In another aspect, ornaments can be attached to the ring, such as ornaments that emit light or produce sound. The ring can contain a slit to allow computer-readable media to enter and exit a media reader integrated into the display. A portion of the ring of fabric can be partially translucent. The front and rear sides of the ring can be of different types of fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front-view of an example display cover;

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear-view of an example display cover;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top-view of an example display cover;

FIG. 5 illustrates an angled view of an example display cover;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front-view of an example display cover with a hole for a webcam;

FIG. 7 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover with a hole for an optical disk drive;

FIG. 8 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover with a hole for other connections;

FIG. 9 illustrates a front-view of an example flat panel television cover; and

FIG. 10 illustrates a rear-view of an example flat panel television cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In one aspect of the invention, a decorative display cover is a ring of fabric with a first stretchable element integrated at an inner edge and a second stretchable element integrated at an outer edge. The stretchable elements can be, for example, elastic, spandex, lycra, or other suitable stretchy material. The stretchable elements can be sewn into the fabric or can be otherwise attached to or within the fabric. In one aspect of the invention, the stretchable elements can be user adjustable to suit different sizes of monitors, similar to a drawstring in a pair of sweatpants. The fabric can be any kind of cloth but can also include plastic or other films. The ring can include one or more types of stretchable elements and fabrics sewn together in a patchwork or as layers over each other. The ring can be wide enough to cover at least part of the front and back of a bezel of a flat panel display. The ring of fabric can be as large or as small as necessary to fit a particular monitor or range of monitor sizes.

In one example of typical usage, a user stretches the ring to a size slightly larger than the monitor the user desires to cover. The user positions the ring around the monitor and releases the ring. The elastic or stretchable elements in the ring contract to embrace the frame of the monitor and hold the ring in place.

In one aspect, the ring of fabric includes decorations, embellishments, or ornaments attached to the ring. For instance, a Christmas themed ring of fabric can include small snowflakes sewn on to the fabric, reindeer attached with a thread to dangle from the bottom of the monitor, small bells, and other decorations. A Fourth of July themed ring of fabric can include flags, stars, and ribbon stripes. In one embodiment, the ornaments emit light, such as miniature Christmas lights or LED fireworks. The fabric ring can include a switch to enable and disable the light emitting elements and/or otherwise control the pattern of light emissions or the brightness thereof. In another embodiment, the ornaments or other parts of the ring of fabric produce sound. Some examples of sound producing elements include a speaker with a processor and memory for reproducing audio. The memory can be user programmed to produce any desired sound. The memory can be removable media. The fabric ring can, in this case, include a volume control mechanism and/or an on/off mechanism controlling the sound. The ornaments which emit light and/or produce sound can be powered by an internal power source, such as a battery, or by an external power source, such as a power cable or a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

The fabric ring can further include one or more pocket. Pockets can be open or include attachable covers, such as with buttons, Velcro, or snaps. Pockets can even be entirely enclosed without an easy access. In these cases, the pockets can include objects such as power supplies, electronic components, scented candles, and other objects. Pockets can be of various shapes and sizes to hold specific objects, such as pencils, computer mouse, keys, ID badges, and so forth. The fabric ring can incorporate a display to show images, text, or other graphics. One of skill in the art will appreciate the various known display types and how to incorporate a display, controlling circuitry, computer-readable media storing software to control the display, and/or power source into the ring. All or part of the fabric making up the ring can also be scented.

In yet another embodiment, the ring making up the display cover includes one or more privacy flap. The privacy flaps can fold out to the side, top, and/or bottom of the display to obscure certain parts of the display to neighboring individuals. This feature is especially desirable in public locations, such as a library or university computer lab. The privacy flaps can also fold inwards to hide the display itself when a user does not want others to observe the display. This feature can be useful, for example, when a user leaves the display for a brief time and does not want others to see the display. One added benefit of the display cover is that it hinders dust accumulation on the display itself. The privacy flaps can be detachable from the display cover, such as with a zipper, Velcro, buttons, or magnets (in the case of non-CRT displays).

FIGS. 1-10 demonstrate various embodiments of the decorative display cover. While some figures depict computer monitors and others depict flat screen televisions, each of the embodiments in the figures is also applicable to other various types of displays besides the one shown in the particular figures, including all-in-one computer and monitor combinations. FIG. 1 illustrates a front-view of an example display cover 101. The fabric of the display cover 101 can be partially translucent to allow light from monitor indicators to shine through the fabric. Often, these lights are integrated into a power button. If light from such buttons can shine through the fabric, a user can easily locate the power button or other buttons. Because the cover 101 is made of fabric, a user can easily push most monitor buttons through the cover. Portions of the fabric can be translucent or the entire fabric can be translucent.

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear-view of an example display cover 201. In one aspect, the cover 201 is made up of one type of fabric on the front side and another type of fabric on the back side. This reversible cover arrangement allows a user to quickly remove, rotate, and replace the display cover 201 so that the user sees a different view of the ring. One example application of this is a monitor cover 201 made of green material on the front side and purple material on the back side. As the user's mood changes, she can quickly and easily change the color of the section of the display cover 201 which faces the user. The same reversible principle can be further extended to not only include different front and rear fabrics, but also inside and outside fabrics. A user can turn the ring or cover 201 inside out to reveal yet another type of fabric. Such a reversible cover can provide four or more different views which are easily and quickly user changeable.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover 301. FIG. 4 illustrates a top-view of an example display cover 401. FIG. 5 illustrates an angled view of an example display cover 501. FIG. 6 illustrates a front-view of an example display cover 601 with a hole 602 for a webcam integrated into a computer monitor. In one aspect, the hole 602 is placed so as to allow a webcam integrated into the display to see through the ring of fabric of the display cover 601. In order to promote privacy, the display cover 601 can include a moveable flap (not shown) to obscure the hole 602. The flap can be fabric, plastic, metal, or other suitable opaque or substantially opaque material. The movable flap can attach in place to cover and/or expose the webcam, such as with Velcro. In one aspect, the moveable flap is freely removable and attachable to the ring, such as with magnets integrated into the flap and the display cover 601.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover 701 with a hole 702 for an optical disk drive. The hole 702 can be slit-shaped. The hole 702 can slit allow computer-readable media to enter and exit a media reader integrated into the display. One example of a display which includes such an optical disk drive is an Apple iMac™. Other monitors may not include an entire computer, but include memory card readers, for example. The display cover 701 can include a hole 702 designed to allow removable media, such as Secure Digital flash cards, floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, etc., to freely pass through the display cover 701 and enter a media reader. FIG. 8 illustrates a side-view of an example display cover 801 with a hole 802 for other connections. This hole 802 can allow USB devices, for example, to plug in to USB ports integrated into the display, or can allow devices integrated into the monitor, such as antennas or cables, to protrude through the hole 802.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front-view of an example flat panel television cover 901. FIG. 10 illustrates a rear-view of an example flat panel television cover 1001. A television cover may hinder remote control sensors which operate using infrared or other wireless technology requiring line of sight between the sensor and the remote control. Thus, a display cover for a television may include a hole or infrared-transparent sections which can be aligned over the sensor to allow remote controls to function properly.

The display covers described herein can be used with any flat panel display of any type or size. One distinct feature of such covers is that displays do not require any modification to put the cover on or take it off. The display does not require any hooks, Velcro, magnets, or any other attaching means. Further, because the cover is made of fabric, a user can still operate buttons for power, standby, volume control, switching video input, etc. without problem, even when covered.

Some example applications for display covers include displays in airports, information kiosks, and visitors' centers. Advertisers can include logos, corporate colors, or other advertising material as part of the fabric and/or ornaments. For example, Delta can use such display covers on computer displays at airport check-in counters to provide a pleasing view to customers and to subtly advertise the Delta brand. An Internet service provider can customize display covers for customers to include basic contact information in case the customer has questions or problems, somewhat similar to a mouse pad. Fabric for display covers can include patterns and paraphernalia licensed from sports teams or other organizations.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention. For example, the principles herein may be applied to computer monitors, digital picture frames, flat panel televisions, laptop screens, and even portable devices such as netbooks, electronic book readers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the present invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A decorative display cover comprising: a ring of fabric having a first stretchable element integrated at an inner edge and a second stretchable element integrated at an outer edge, the ring being wide enough to cover at least part of the front and back of a bezel of a flat panel display.
 2. The display cover of claim 1, wherein the ring contains a hole placed to allow a webcam integrated into the display to see through the ring of fabric.
 3. The display cover of claim 2, further comprising a moveable flap to obscure the hole.
 4. The display cover of claim 3, wherein the flap is opaque.
 5. The display cover of claim 4, wherein the flap is freely removable and attachable to the ring.
 6. The display cover of claim 1, further comprising ornaments attached to the ring.
 7. The display cover of claim 6, wherein the ornaments emit light.
 8. The display cover of claim 6, wherein the ornaments produce sound.
 9. The display cover of claim 1, wherein the ring contains a slit placed to allow a computer-readable medium to enter and exit a media reader integrated into the display.
 10. The display cover of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the ring of fabric is partially translucent.
 11. The display cover of claim 1, wherein a front side is made of a first type of fabric and the rear side is made of a second type of fabric.
 12. The display cover of claim 1, wherein an outer side is made of a first type of fabric and an inner side is made of a second type of fabric.
 13. The display cover of claim 1, wherein the first and second stretchable elements are adjustable to different sizes.
 14. The display cover of claim 1, further comprising one or more pocket attached to the ring.
 15. The display cover of claim 1, further comprising a display attached to the ring.
 16. The display cover of claim 1, wherein the ring of fabric is scented.
 17. The display cover of claim 1, further comprising one or more privacy flap.
 18. A method for decorating a monitor, the method comprising: covering a perimeter of a monitor with a ring of fabric having a first stretchable element integrated at an inner edge and a second stretchable element integrated at an outer edge, the ring being wide enough to cover at least part of the front and back of a bezel of a flat panel display. 